The Earth’s climate has changed many times during the planet’s history, with events ranging from ice ages to long periods of warmth.
Natural factors such as volcanic eruptions, changes in the Earth’s orbit, and varying energy from the Sun have affected the Earth’s climate. Beginning late in the 18th century, human activities associated with the Industrial Revolution have also changed the composition of the atmosphere and therefore very likely are influencing the Earth’s climate.
Our main topics:
- Climate Change or Global Warming?
- Science
- U.S. Climate Policy
- Greenhouse Gas Emissions
- Health and Environmental Effects
Overview
Background:
- Past Climate Change
- Recent Climate Change
- Future Climate Change
- State of Knowledge
- IPCC, 2007: Climate Change 2007
Global Policies:
- Clean Energy Programs
- Climate Change and Waste Programs
- Climate Leaders
- High Global Warming Potential Gas Reduction Programs
- Integrated Environmental Strategies
- Methane Programs
- Voluntary Programs
- Energy Efficiency and Global Climate Change
Through the coming decades and centuries of the bottleneck, great leadership at all levels will be essential. We will need leaders first, with the courage to help the public understand and face what will be increasingly difficult circumstances.
The primary cause is climate destabilization, described in four consensus reports by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change over 20 years and hundreds of other scientific reports. Often, however, we dismiss bearers of bad news or inconvenient truths until the point of crisis, when reality can no longer be evaded.
